Ash tray with disposable receiver



March 26, 1963 G. NAKAGAWA 3,082,901

ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 20. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1IN VEN TOR.

BY George Mkagawa k @wmw March 26, 1963 G. NAKAGAWA 3,082,901

ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2United StatesPatent G? 3,082,901 ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVERGeorge Nakagawa, R0. Box 289, Modesto, Calif. Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser.No. 153,336

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-47) This invention relates in general to an improvedash tray for the reception of cigarette ashes and butts.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a major object toprovide, a novel ash tray which includes a readily removable, disposableor throw-away receiving carton whereby to permit of emptying of the ashtray in a convenient manner and without likelihood of spilling the ashesand butts therefrom.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide an ashtray which comprises, in novel combination, an upstanding containerhaving a removable lid thereon, and an empty standard milk cartonremovably disposed in the container; the usual hinged closure on the topof the carton being turned back under the lid to expose the top openingin said carton, and the lid being funnel-like, with a tubular neckdepending through said opening whereby ashes and butts may deliver fromthe lid through such neck and into said carton. In this manner standardmilk cartons, when empty, can serve a further useful purpose rather thanbeing discarded.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an ash tray wherein thecontainer and its lid is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safe, practical, andreliable ash tray, and one which will be exceedingly effective for thepurpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ash tray.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified type of the ash tray.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the ash tray shown in FIG.4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, and at present to FIGS. 1-3 inclusive, theash tray comprises an upstanding rectangular container, indicatedgenerally at 1; such container-which is initially open at the top beingprovided with a removable lid, indicated generally at 2.

The upstanding rectangular container 1 includes sides 3 and a bottom 4;there being an enlarged rectangular collar 5 formed integral with thecontainer 1 at its upper end.

The container 1 is dimensioned to receive an empty standard milk carton6 therein in symmetrical relation to the sides 3, with the cartonresting on the bottom 4. The term milk carton as used herein is deemedto mean those cartons used for fluid dairy products, such as milk orcream, and the container 1 is of a height to receive a given size ofsuch a carton, with the top 7 of the latter disposed a distance belowthe upper end of said container.

The removable lid 2 includes a horizontal rectangular rim 8 which restson the upper end of the container 1; the rim 8 having an integraldepending rectangular flange 9 which frictionally engages about thecollar 5 when the lid 2 is in place.

The lid 2 is formed with a funnel-shaped bottom 10 l. 3,082,901 3*Patented Mar. 26, 1963 having an olfset depending tubular neck 11; saidbottom 10 being integral with the rim 8 at its inner and lower cornersand which are disposed laterally inwardly of the upper end of thecontainer 1.

With the standard milk carton 6 disposed symmetrically in the container1, the offset depending tubular neck 11 alines with and extendsdownwardly through the pouring opening 12 in the top 7 of said carton.Such pouring opening 12 is conventionally oifset in the carton top 7hence the necessity of correspondingly offsetting the tubular neck 11.

The hinged plug-flap type closure 13 on the top 7 of carton 6 is turnedback to an open position beneath the funnel-shaped bottom 10 of lid 2when the ash tray is in use with the carton 6 therein. See FIG. 3.

The rectangular rim 8 of the lid 2 is formed with a plurality of notches14 which provide cigarette rests at the top of the ash tray.

When the ash tray is in use, with a carton 6 therein, a quantity ofwater 15 is carried in the bottom portion of such carton; this to assurethat cigarette ashes or butts received by the funnel-shaped bottom 10 ofthe lid 2, and thence delivered through neck 11 and into the carton 6,will beimmediately extinguished.

When it is desired to empty the ash tray the lid 2 is removed; the plugflap type closure '13 is then swung to a position closing the opening12; and thereafter the closed carton 6 is removed from container 1 andthrown away. This is accomplished easily and without likelihood of thecontents of the carton being spilled.

Another but empty carton 6 is then replaced in the container 1, with theclosure 13 turned back to expose the opening 12, and thereafter the lid2 is replaced, with the tubular neck 11 projecting through said opening.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the general assembly of the ashtray remains the same, including an upstanding container 16 and aremovable lid 17.

Here, however, the container 16 is of cylindrical form and includes abottom 18. At its upper end portion the the cylindrical container 16 isupwardly and outwardly rounded, or flared, as at 19, and which flaredportion terminates in an annular horizontal lip 20.

The lid 17, which is circular in plan, is funnel-shaped and wherein thefunnel 21 includes a central depending tubular neck 22.

The circular lid 17 rests adjacent its periphery on the annularhorizontal lip 20, and at the periphery said lid includes a dependingannular flange 23 which surrounds the dip 20 in frictional engagementtherewith.

The lid 17 is formed, on top thereof, with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced notches 24, each of which forms a cigaretterest.

In this embodiment, as before, a milk carton 25of a given size isdisposed in the container 16 and rests on the bottom 18 thereof; suchcontainer 16 being of a height to extend some distance above the top 26of such carton. Additionally, the container 16 is of an inside di ametersuch that the milk carton 25 can be laterally offset in such containersufficient for the central depending tubular neck 22 of lid 17 toproject downwardly through the pouring opening 27 which is offset in thecarton top 26.

The hinged plug-flap type closure 28 on the carton top 26 is turned backand occupies a position below the funnel 21 of lid 17. See FIG. 5.

The embodiment of the invention-as in FIGS. 4 and 5, as describedaboveis used in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3inclusivehence a description of such use need not here be repeated.

It may be observed, however, that in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 theash tray has a more symmetrical appearance, particularly by reason ofthe central disposition of the tubular neck 22 of the funnel 21; thefunnel thus being of uniform radius throughout. Also, by reason of theflared portion 19 on the container 16, the lid 17-and consequently thefunnel 21-can be of greater, and thus more effective, diameterwithoutincreasing the diameter of said container beyond the extentrequired to receive the milk carton 25 in a laterally offset positionrelative to the neck 22. V -'In both of the described embodiments of theinvention the container 1 or 16 and the lid 2 or 17 are manufacturedpreferably by molding of fireproof material, such as metal, ceramic, orheat-resistant plastic.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such an article of manufacture as will substantiallyfulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the article of manufacture, still in practice suchdeviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form adeparture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaim.

Having thUlS described the invention the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

The combination with a disposable milk carton of rectangular form havinga top provided with a laterally offset relatively large opening, of anash tray comprising a container having side walls and a bottom and onwhich bottom the carton is supported in clearance but non-turningrelation to the side walls, the container being taller than the carton,a funnel shaped lid removably and nonturnably seated on the containerand depending into the same and terminating above and relatively closeto the top of the carton, and a laterally olfset straight sided neckdepending from the lowest point of the lid and projecting through thecarton opening and into the carton, the side of the neck beingmaterially smaller than that of said opening.

7 References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

